    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [December 2, 2004]
    [Pages 3035-3036]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Nomination of Governor Mike Johanns To Be Secretary of Agriculture
    December 2, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Good morning.

        I am pleased to announce my nomination of Governor Mike Johanns to
    be the Secretary of Agriculture.

        Gov. Johanns. Thank you, Mr. President.

        The President. Governor Johanns is an experienced public service--
    servant from America's agricultural heartland. As the son of Iowa dairy
    farmers, he grew up close to the land. He will bring to this position a
    lifetime of involvement in agriculture and a long record of a faithful
    friend to America's farmers and ranchers. He will lead an important
    agency with the executive skill he has learned as mayor and as a two-
    term Governor of Nebraska.

        I've known Mike for a number of years, going back to my own service
    as a Governor. I know firsthand his deep commitment to a strong farm
    economy. He's been a leader on drought relief in Nebraska and throughout
    the Midwest. He's a strong proponent of alternative energy sources such
    as ethanol and biodiesel. He's traveled the world to promote American
    farm exports.

        Governor Johanns is a man of action and of complete integrity. He
    knows how to bring people together to achieve results. He has been a
    superb leader for the people of Nebraska, and I'm grateful that he's
    agreed to take on this important new responsibility in my Cabinet.

        Gov. Johanns. Thank you, Mr. President.

        The President. I'm grateful as well to Secretary of Agriculture Ann
    Veneman for leading the Department of
    Agriculture these past 4 years. Secretary Veneman has earned the trust
    of farmers and ranchers across America, and the whole Nation has
    benefited from her service. Ann played a central role in passing the
    2002 farm bill, which has been critical to the success of our farmers.

        She's kept our Nation's commitment to
    fighting hunger and is overseeing major improvements in school nutrition
    programs. Ann led our efforts to prevent the spread of mad cow disease
    and worked hard to secure the food supply against the threat of
    bioterrorism. And she has helped set in motion an incredibly important
    effort to maintain the health of our forests and protect the lives and
    property from devastating wildfires.

        I chose Ann Veneman for her great
    expertise, her sound judgment, and her bipartisan spirit, and she has
    displayed those qualities every day of her tenure. Ann has

    [[Page 3036]]

    also carried out her duties while facing serious illness, and for that
    she's earned my increased admiration and the respect of her fellow
    citizens. I'm proud to know her, and I thank her for serving our
    country.
        The policies we've pursued over the last 4 years have revived
    America's economies and have helped our farmers and ranchers earn
    greater income and to sell record amounts of food and fiber abroad. In a
    new term, we'll continue policies that are pro-growth, pro-jobs, and
    pro-farmer. We'll keep working to open new markets to American grain and
    beef and cotton and corn. We'll enforce trade laws to make sure other
    countries play by the rules. We will expand conservation programs to
    help farmers and to protect our soil and water and wildlife.
        We will stand behind family farmers by keeping taxes low and
    ensuring the Federal death tax is repealed permanently. And when
    confirmed by the Senate, Mike Johanns will lead a Department of 113,000
    dedicated public servants and be a champion of the farmers and ranchers
    who feed America and the world beyond.
        I am grateful to Mike and to Stephanie, his wife, for their willingness to come to
    Washington. I look forward to welcoming Mike to my Cabinet.
        Congratulations. I appreciate you.
        Gov. Johanns. Thank you very much.
        The President. You bet, Mike.

    [At this point, Gov. Johanns made brief remarks.]

        The President. Good job.
        Gov. Johanns. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:42 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary also included the remarks of Gov. Johanns.